Modulated double-helix quadrupole magnets

We describe a new technology for superconducting quadrupole magnets especially for use in particle accelerators. The principle is based on the application of a sinusoidal modulation to the axial positions of the conductor windings in solenoids. The method can also be employed to produce higher-order multipole fields. Due to their solenoid-like geometry, these coils are significantly simpler to manufacture than standard (racetrack) cosine-2-theta coils and have significantly smaller systematic field errors without using any field-shaping spacers. When two complementary coil layers (with opposite current flow) are combined, the solenoid components of the fields are cancelled and the quadrupole or higher-order fields add. An example of such a design is described which generates a gradient of 130 T/m with systematic errors less than 10/sup -8/ at 67% of the aperture.